Plot Synopsis: (via IMDB)In a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, two rebels just might be able to restore order: Max, a man of action and of few words, and Furiosa, a woman of action who is looking to make it back to her childhood homeland.

My Opinion:

YES! This is what movies are meant to be like! I’ve been moaning for years that they can’t make a decent action blockbuster anymore. It’s all CGI bullshit now with shitty scripts and crappy characters. Oh how I’ve longed for the days of The Terminator & Alien/Aliens. Well, I’m happy to say that Mad Max: Fury Road is a return to the good old days of action-packed blockbusters. And, as a HUGE added bonus, we have ourselves another Ellen Ripley with Charlize Theron’s kick-ass Imperator Furiosa. That’s right, ladies! This is a totally bonkers, violent, non-stop adrenaline-fueled extravaganza that has its female audience in mind just as much as its male audience! YES!!!! The female characters don’t take a backseat in Fury Road – they’re driving this bastard!

I’m now kind of regretting my post from two days ago (HERE) in which I re-rated several movies I thought I’d given either too high or too low of a rating. I said that I think I sometimes rate new releases too highly due partly to hype & partly to my enjoyment of the experience of going to a movie in the cinema. So now I’ve gone to the best movie I’ve seen in a very long time & I’m still on a high as I’m writing this just after seeing it and I know I’m going to just rave about it like an idiot and end up giving it a really high rating. Well, you can trust me on this – Fury Road is not a movie that will need re-rating because I’ve rated it too highly in my excitement. In fact, I’m afraid I won’t do it justice & may rate it slightly too low as I want to be more cautious with my ratings now. Damn. We’ll see… I still don’t know at this point what rating I’ll give it.

I always try to stay as spoiler free as possible in my reviews and I want to be especially careful with this one as I think knowing as little as possible before seeing Fury Road may add to your enjoyment (I know it did for me as I didn’t know quite what to expect beyond the one trailer I’d seen). So, I’m not going to get very specific about things that happen in the movie as I’m not sure what is common knowledge & what isn’t. I think people will like this one whether they’ve seen the Mel Gibson films or not. My experience is this: I saw the first two but I admit that, although I did really like them at the time, I only watched them once sooo many years ago that I don’t remember them as well as I’d like. Sorry Mad Max fans – I’d wanted to re-watch them before seeing Fury Road but haven’t had the time. I’ll definitely make time for them again at some point now but Fury Road works just fine as a film on its own.

What I loved about Fury Road (besides the kick-ass female characters that I just can’t rave about enough) was, well… Everything. I loved the look & feel of the post-apocalyptic world and its insane inhabitants. I loved the action that never ever let up – the stunts they pulled off were amazing! My eyes couldn’t actually keep up with the amount of action going on – it was nuts! But in a good way – I want to watch this again as I know I missed things. The writing was very good – we got decent character development (for an action movie) as well as sympathetic characters we cared about and who cared about each other (so many action movies barely bother with this!). The baddies are over the top and outrageous in the most awesome way possible. Hell, the whole movie is over the top and outrageous but it’s so much damn FUN. George Miller really went to town with Fury Road & it all works perfectly. It reminds me in a way of how Tarantino makes his films – you can tell there’s a real love of what he does. It feels like he really put his heart into making this film. I wish every director would do the same.

Summary:

Mad Max: Fury Road is totally bonkers. Its fast pace may have you leaving the cinema wondering what the hell just hit you but, hey – that’s what action movies should be like. Fury Road gives us Imperator Furiosa, a new badass female who deserves a place among the likes of Ellen Ripley and The Bride. As a female who is often frustrated by the sexism and misogyny in movies, I couldn’t be more happy about that (and the movie sure as shit passes the Bechdel test!). I think those who aren’t fans of the other Mad Max films should like this just as much as those who are but those who are may be a little disappointed that this movie should almost be titled Furiosa & Mad Max: Fury Road. That title sounds damn good to me, though – maybe we can get the female character’s name in the title of the next one.

I’ve had several discussions about the film’s dialogue, which some people think is not memorable, which is madness.

I think it has some great lines – they’re not snarky one-liners, which is probably what everyone expects, but nevertheless, there are some great chewing-the-scenery lines. Somebody put together a whole list.

My personal favourite is when Immortan Joe says “Do not, my friends, become addicted to water. It will take hold of you, and you will resent its absence.”

Lol. I know! It really is “just a car chase”. But it’s such an awesome car chase! 🙂 Glad to see another fan (although I have yet to see many say anything negative about this). I really want to go again too and I NEVER go to a movie a second time. 🙂

Man, WordPress has just exploded with positive reviews for this! I didn’t have any interest in this at all, but now I kinda feel like I HAVE to see it–especially if there are badass ladies! That’s so freaking encouraging. I’m sick to death of the movie/TV world and its often shitty treatment of female characters. We deserve better, dammit!! Lol. Glad to hear Theron’s character is a step in the right direction. Between her and the Full Metal Bitch, maybe Hollywood is actually beginning to realize how awesome lady action heroes can be…Fingers crossed! 🙂 Great review, lady! Nice to see you so pumped about it!

Hooray for kick ass ladies! 🙂 I get really sick of women being nothing but eye candy in some movies – women are just as capable of kicking ass, too. Yes – Furiosa & Full Metal Bitch! Thank you, Hollywood! Maybe filmmakers are starting to realize that plenty of women like action movies too? Now if only the toy manufacturers would realize this too and actually make female superhero, etc, toys for girls. Getting a Princess Leia for young girls is still pretty much impossible. Did you hear that Mark Ruffalo has been complaining that his daughter (or maybe it was daughters) couldn’t get a Black Widow action figure to go with the other Avengers?? Ridiculous. The number of female geeks is on the rise – it’s time they stop ignoring half their fan base! Lol – sorry for the rant… 😉 I won’t even get into the group of “men’s rights activists” who have been trashing Fury Road. Seriously. WTF? Oh no – an action movie where women are a massive part of the plot and take no shit?! How offensive! We can’t have that! Oops – I’m ranting again. Sorry for the long reply – just go watch Fury Road! Lol 🙂

I am 100% with you, lady. Yeah, I heard that a Captain America figure had replaced Black Widow on a bunch of toy sets?! Bullshit!! I’m glad Mark Ruffalo and a bunch of other people are pointing it out. Men’s rights activist groups are the most ridiculous things I’ve ever encountered. Seems more like an excuse for insecure men to be hateful and spawn internet trolls. The threat of real quality sure does get their panties in a twist! 😉 I’ll see what I can do about Fury Road. I still want to see Ex Machina!

I actually ended up seeing Fury Road last night. I’m only going to say this: While I did really enjoy it, my level of praise will not equal yours, I don’t think. People are probably going to yell at me when I review it. Lol.

Great to hear Charlize Theron plays such a kick-ass character. More of that in big popcorn blockbusters please! Really looking forward to seeing this. The buzz has been incredible. Think I’ll reacquaint myself with the original trilogy over the weekend in preparation.

Yeah – I wish I’d re-watched the original trilogy first. However, you really don’t NEED to. I’ll watch them soon… I hope you enjoy this one as much as everyone else has! Yes – more characters like Furiosa are badly needed. Loved her! 🙂

Amazing write-up! Absolutely cannot wait to see this given all the positive feedback and mindblowing descriptions of the action. The fact that it’s a film that values the power of women only makes me look forward to it more.

Thanks, Anna! 🙂 Would love to know what you think of it. I’ve seen nothing but positive reviews on WordPress although I’ve heard that some “Men’s Rights Activists” have been trashing it. WHAT?! Their loss. This movie is excellent & I love that it’s one written for both men & women equally. 🙂

I wonder if any of those “Men’s Rights Activists” have seen the second Mad Max sequel Beyond Thunderdome? You know, the one co-starring Tina Turner, stomping around like a badass as Aunty Entity, the ruthless ruler of Bartertown?
Like it or not, fellas, but badass women are part of Mad Max canon.

You know, I almost can’t sleep at night since all I can think about is their plight… And NOW us women have ruined one of their beloved MOVIES by having too many lines & important roles in it! Because Fury Road is really really bad & everyone clearly hates it… 😉

I loved how Miller went I’m just going to go 100% balls to the wall. I want a guy playing guitar on the front of a war rig and some old man playing with his nipple rings and some mutant midgets and I don’t give a crap what anyone thinks. And Furiosa is almost as cool as The Bride even though she is played by Charlize Theron.

Ha! I know! I totally want my own personal band following me around & playing some kick ass soundtrack to my life. Oh, and the guitar MUST have flames shooting out of it! 🙂 lol – Yeah, I was thinking that Charlize was actually on your “actresses who annoy me” list. Is that right?? That’s too bad because it will have ruined the character a bit for you. I don’t think I could like Furiosa if Gwyneth Paltrow played her. Can you imagine?! I like Charlize so loved the character. 🙂

finally saw this. It wasn’t spectacular, but it was definitely enjoyable. My review will hopefully be up either later tonight or tomorrow. Not really my kind of thing in general, but it was much better than any of the other 3 IMHO

Hell yeah I want to see Tomorrowland, we have to see that. I love those little minions! My sister is going to see Fury Road today and I cant go she just pissed me off lol! Last two movies I saw were Pitch Perfect 2 and The Longest Ride (don’t ever see that movie ever).

Fuck yeah, Mutant you are so SPOT ON! Your excitement is palpable and is exactly how i felt when i wrote my post (directly after seeing it). Bloody love it, this is such a brilliant film. Great work. I need to see this again!

Perhaps people thought reviving a 30 year old property seemed like a cash grab. What a pleasant surprise that it turned out to be so good. Plus the focus on more practical effects over CGI was a welcome site to my eyes. This makes some of those superhero movies look pretty bad. Nice to see it was a hit with audiences as well as critics.

Yeah – it’s not often that both critics & the general public agree! It seems that very few people don’t like this one. And you’re right – it does make those superhero movies look bad in comparison! I already like Age Of Ultron a little less thanks to Fury Road. 🙂

The absolutely best thing I’ve seen in a cinema in years. I have been avidly promoting this film to pretty much everyone since I saw it.

I have not had such a thrilling time seeing a movie in a cinema since I was 11 and saw Raiders of the Lost Ark.

I know it’s a box office hit, but really, it should be a an absolute smash (that R rating really makes a difference to $$, doesn’t it?)

I don’t understand why millions of teenagers are not begging an older siblng or passing grown-up to bring them to see this. That first trailer that they released a while back made the film look absolute bonkers, and the film lived up to it.

Seriously, everybody NEEDS to see this film … especially young girls, because Furiosa may just be the best female role model to come along in years.

Hahaha! I love this comment! And I love the enthusiasm. So few movies make me feel that way these days but this one sure as hell did! 🙂 Yeah, that sucks how much the R rating really hurts films in America. What I hate more, though, is when they tone things down to get a lower rating so I’m SO glad they didn’t do that with Fury Road. I agree – I can’t WAIT for my daughter to be old enough to watch this with me! We’ll have an Aliens/Fury Road double feature. 🙂

Yeah… I really didn’t find Fury Road all that violent! I mean, it wasn’t gory. I’m a massive wuss but I was able to watch every second. I think the UK rating system is a bit better. It’s a 15 here, which seems a better age for it. An R is too harsh but it’s not appropriate for the PG-13 rating either.

As part of my IMDB Top 250 Challenge, I’m reblogging this review I did of Mad Max: Fury Road as it (deservedly!) is up for a Best Picture Oscar this weekend. I loved this movie! Fury Road is currently at number 169 out of 250…

It is indeed good to see strong women characters and I liked the look of the film – costumes especially. I thought the soundtrack really terrible, though; at one point (I think when it was revealed that no green place existed anymore) it was shmaltzy enough to make a person sick! Bleuch! 🙂